Kaiketsu Zorro

Not to be confused with Kaiketsu Zorori
Kaiketsu Zorro

Promotional poster for the television series Kaiketsu Zorro
快傑ゾロ
(Extraordinary Zorro)
Genre Historical, Adventure
Anime television series
Directed by Katsumi Minoguchi
Written by Sukehiro Tomita
Music by Hiromoto Tobisawa
Studio Ashi Productions
Mondo TV
Network NHK
Original run April 5, 1996 – March 28, 1997
Episodes 52

Kaiketsu Zorro (Japanese: 快傑ゾロ Hepburn: Kaiketsu Zoro, lit. "Extraordinary Zorro") is an Italian/Japanese anime, based on the western character Zorro. Fifty-two episodes were produced, however only 46 were broadcast in Japan. The series became very popular in European countries, including Portugal and Spain, the colonial power of the area in the story.

Plot

Don Diego de la Vega returns from his study trip to discover his homeland is under the army's dictatorship. Diego, refusing to watch idly, disguises himself as Zorro to protect the weak and oppressed. Diego is not a coward but he is unable to win the affections of his sweetheart, Lolita Prideaux but at the same time he run after girls which is not in her favour. Diego serenades Lolita as Zorro and fights the evils of his homeland, hoping to capture her heart.

Diego is accompanied by Bernardo, the sidekick boy wearing a similar costume, called "Little Zorro".

Main characters

Voiced by: Toshihiko Seki (Japanese)
The main protagonist of the series. As Diego he acts lazy and clumsy, usually showing cowardly, foolish, and silly characteristics to hide his secret identity, but as Zorro he is the most noble-minded swordsman in the world. Diego, just like his father, is always very calm and reasonable, unlike Lolita and Bernardo, who are very hot-headed and stubborn.
Voiced by: Maria Kawamura (Japanese)
The female protagonist of the series. Diego's spunky blond childhood friend and love interest. She was a lazy and average girl. She is bossy over Diego, but she loves Zorro.
Voiced by: Rica Matsumoto (Japanese)
The co-protagonist of the series, an abandoned orphan found by Diego when he was still a baby. Diego adopted and took care of him as if he was his younger brother, he also thinks of Diego like his true brother. He helps Zorro by eavesdropping in other people's conversations, and later develops his own alter ego, "Little Zorro".
Voiced by: Jûrôta Kosugi (Japanese)
The main villain of the series. The head officer of the Spanish Army in California. He is a villain of the series but he was not that evil even Zorro said that he is an honorable man and will keep his word. Sometimes, he did some plans to make his fortune but he also helped people as he helped a widow woman Madam Delicia, he arrested Sergeant Gonzales as she blame him to be a robber and provided security to her house. He was the most handsome boy with magical personality. In the depth of the series he was generous. He had great respect for women and was not in a favour of blackmailing someone. Raymond was a decent boy who did not go after girls like Diego. He was true with governor general and his wife but somehow they changed the plot and suddenly in episode 47 he plans to kill the governor general with the South India Company so that he could become a governor general even it was not his wish to take his place. The change of the plot was so weird that only 46 episodes were broad cast in Japan. Zorro killed him so brutally. It was not good, he did not deserve that and that is why only 46 episodes were broadcast in Japan.
Voiced by: Kenyuu Horiuchi (Japanese)
The second villain of the series. An officer of the Spanish army who has an affection for Lolita. He was an emotional young handsome man. He is the right hand conspirator of Commandant Raymond on each of their plots in California. He is defeated and arrested by Sergeant Gonzales in the end of the series. This role was popularized Raymond in the original novel.
Voiced by: Ikuya Sawaki (Japanese)
Diego's father.
Voiced by: Kôzô Shioya (Japanese)
Stout sergeant who often serves as the comic relief. Comparable to Johnston McCulley's character from 1920's The Mark of Zorro.

Episodes

  1. "Return of the Hero"
  2. "The Barrels of Wine"
  3. "Proposal of Marriage"
  4. "Wake Up My Friend!"
  5. "The Ties of Blood"
  6. "The Red Jewel"
  7. "Too Many Borros"
  8. "Killer Guitar"
  9. "The Treasure of Dreams"
  10. "Untrue Feelings"
  11. "Mystery Mountain"
  12. "Man's Best Friend"
  13. "Little Zorro at Full Blast"
  14. "The Stagecoach is in Danger!"
  15. "Lolita's Kiss"
  16. "The Sword from Japan"
  17. "Cornered"
  18. "The Clever Detective"
  19. "A House of Deadly Tricks"
  20. "Vengeance"
  21. "Wings of Dreams!"
  22. "Gonzales, the Thief"
  23. "The Bride from Spain"
  24. "The People's Enemy"
  25. "Tears of a Clown"
  26. "Pepita"
  27. "Lady Barbara"
  28. "The Haunted Ruins"
  29. "The Great Art Swindle"
  30. "Gonzales in Love"
  31. "Fire in the Sky"
  32. "A Doctor's Dilemma"
  33. "Lolita in Love"
  34. "The Order to Kill Zorro"
  35. "Gonzales in Love again"
  36. "Unmasked!"
  37. "Diego Under Cover"
  38. "The Underwater Adventure"
  39. "The Battle in the Storm"
  40. "My Fair Lady Zorro"
  41. "Lolita, Get Your Gun!"
  42. "Trapped By Ninja Magic"
  43. "Beauty and the Monster"
  44. "Gabriel's Rebellion"
  45. "The Legend of the Sacred Wood"
  46. "The Hypnotic Doctor"
  47. "The Kidnapping of the Governor General"
  48. "A Righteous Military Officer"
  49. "Farewell to the Army"
  50. "The Blast Off the Demonic Cannons!"
  51. "A Prelude to the Collapse"
  52. "The Sword of Justice Forever"

Music

The series use two pieces of theme music. The Japanese Opening theme is "ZORRO", and the Japanese ending theme is "Chikai" (誓い; "Oath"). Both songs are sung by the Japanese vocalist Masaaki Endoh, and are used for the 51 episodes which aired in Japan.

External links

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